Casey Cuny

Casey Cuny is the 2024 California Teacher of the Year, and the 2023 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year. Cuny teaches 10th grade honors English and Senior mythology and folklore at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, California. He serves as English Department Chair and the school’s Instructional Coach. He also teaches at National University in the Masters of Education program working with teachers from all over the country. At the age of 13, Casey Cuny was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, bone cancer. Cuny remembers his teachers as his source of hope in that difficult time, helping him realize what he was capable of. They inspired him to pursue a career in teaching—to give back and honor their impact on his life. In February of 2014, Cuny’s article “What is the Value of Life? And Other Socratic Questions” was published in Educational Leadership leading to state-wide professional development seminars. In 2019, he hosted a Summer SEL Institute with over 100 teachers from Southern California. In 2024, Casey spoke to educators from around the country about the impact of AI on the classroom in the We Teach the Nation Conference. He is a thought leader on AI and views it as an engine for equity in the classroom. He strives to create an inclusive environment for his students, to teach them the power of Growth Mindset, and to champion their growth as individuals. He uses the synergy of social, emotional, and academic intelligence to push students to levels of rigor not possible without this concerted approach.